The countdown to Christmas is ON! We are eyeballs-deep into Pinterest, looking at all of the creative ways our fans and followers are counting down to Christmas in their homes. In the spirit of the season of sharing, we wanted to share some of our favorite Christmas countdown calendar ideas!

1. Picture frame advent calendar:

The beautiful French blog, Kesi’Art, created a flip advent calendar using colorful papers, wood cut-outs, and other fabulous embellishments–all hung on a binder ring! You can snag a TOLSBY frame by Ikea for only 99 cents and even reuse favorite Christmas cards to recreate this handmade calendar. Using Christmas cards you’ve received over the years can bring you additional joy as you revisit each warm message from friends and family!

2. Chalkboard charger plate:

This Christmas Countdown charger plate from Michael’s is a fast and easy way to dress up an inexpensive platter for the holidays. Using paint pens and chalkboard paint, you can creatively decorate a simple charger plate and then place it into a plate display frame.

4. The Care Bears advent calendar:

What better way to count down to Christmas with the kids than with the lovable, huggable Care Bears? The Care Bears Advent Calendar can be downloaded to your desktop or iPad. Each day brings to life brand new holiday fun as you follow your favorite Care Bears through a holiday experience filled with games, activities, videos, and more. Whether you’re decorating the Christmas tree, making your own snowflakes, coloring, or playing Care Bears games – there’s something for everyone!

5. Countdown To Christmas pallet sign and card display:

This handmade Countdown to Christmas pallet from Too Much Time on My Hands brings together everything we love–chalkboard paint, wood pallets, and a warm, handmade touch! It’s big enough to make a great statement on a mantel or to provide a focal point if you don’t have a fireplace to adorn. The old springs used in the corner provides the perfect place to proudly display this year’s Christmas cards–or favorite ones from years gone by!

6. The Countdown to Christmas desktop app:

Our new Countdown to Christmas desktop app is a fun and creative way to experience all the joys and anticipation of the holidays! The Countdown to Christmas offers 12 interactive experiences filled with surprises from games to decorating! Whether you’re selecting a favorite pet to keep you warm by the fire, playing a game, or just trimming the tree, there’s always something magical happening. Watch with wonder as the clock on the mantel counts down the days, hours, even seconds to Christmas!

7. 25 Days of service:

What better way to give back this season than to involve the whole family in 25 days of service? We loved this idea from I Heart Nap Time, where rather than receiving a gift each day leading up to Christmas, you are committed to doing an act of service each day. Another fun twist could be to use last year’s Christmas cards as the artwork for your daily tags and identify 25 friends and family members who you’d like to call or do something nice for each day!

8. Countdown to Christmas chalkboard:

We loved Abi’s admission of not having chalkboard-perfect handwriting, so she pulled this awesome wall hanging together from tracing chalkboard fonts she found online and other fun chalkboard-inspired touches. She’s used this same wall hanging for other holidays, so be sure to check out her archives, too. Our personal favorite is her Countdown to Christmas Chalkboard, though!

What are some of the fun and creative Christmas countdowns you’ve seen lately?